Clothes-tongs.



No. 67|,652. Patented Apr. 9, I901. L. W MYERS.

CLOTHES TUNES. I

{Application filed Nov. 80, 1900.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LORINGWILLIS MYERS, OF LUBE MAINE.

cLoTHEs-ToNes.

SPEGIFICACLION forming part of Letters Patent No. 671,652, dated April 9, 1901.

Application filed. November 30, 1900. Serial No. 38,217. No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LORING WILLIS MYERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lubec, in the county of Washington and State of Maine, have invented a new and useful Clothes-Tongs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clothes-tongs for lifting and overturning clothes in hot or boiling liquids, and particularly adapted for use in washing clothes; and the object of the same is to provide a simple and effective device for firmly and positively gripping clothes and the like and changing their position in a boiler or other device without tearing or straining the same and of such construction as to permit the clothes to be twisted without slipping.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of clothes-tongs shown open and embodying the features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the tongs shown closed. Fig. 3 is a front end elevation of the improved tongs. Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the jaws of the improved device.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views. t

The numerals 1 and 2 designate two handle levers or bars, the one being placed on the other and both connected by a pivot-pin or like device 3. The front extremities of the levers or bars in advance of the pivot-pin 3 are formed as jaws 4 and 5, having a complementary similar construction, that of one jaw being reverse to the other. Each jaw is provided with an elongated ofiset 6, which has an inner straight face 7, having an inward oblique angle to the'longitudinal axis of the bar or lever of which it forms a part, the said face being in a plane at a right angle to the adjacent side of the said bar or lover, The oifset faces 7 bear against the adjacent edges of the bars or levers or the jaws continued therefrom, as set forth, when said jaws are closed,and by the angular direction of said faces the jaws are limited in their closing movement and are held at an angle in relation to rear side of the other jawand hence when the clothes or other articles are held between the said jaws they are given a compound angular bite and portions thereof engaged byboth jaws. In the inner opposing edges of the jaws, near the free ends of the same, c011 cave recesses 8 are formed, one in each, so that easy-catching shoulders or jaw-terminals will be provided for picking up portions of clothes or. other articles when the tongs are held vertically and also permit the grasped garments or other articles to become partially bunched when the jaws are closed thereon and prevent tearing or straining the garments or articles when twisted or suddenly turned, it being seen in Fig. 2 that each recess comes opposite a portion of each face 7 when the jaws are closed. The'sides and ends of the jaws are rounded and smooth, and when the two jaws are closed, as shown by Fig. 3, they unitedly form an elongated elliptical end, and in addition the levers or bars are smooth to avoid injuring the hands of the operator.

The levers or bars may be made any length desired, and the entire tongs can be readily used for stirring purposes alone by holding the jaws tightly closed, as shown by Fig. 2.

The material employed for the construction of the improved device will be that best adapted for the purpose and may be either wood or non-corrosive metal.

The device as an entirety is strong and durable, inexpensive in manufacture, and convenient for the operation it is designed to perform.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A pair of clothes-tongs comprising levers or bars which are pivotally connected and continued beyond the pivotal point thereof in the form of jaws having a side movement over each other completely to the free ends of the same and each provided with an. offset formed with an inner straight face inclined inwardly to the longitudinal axis of the jaw, in the inner edge near the free end, the offsets the offsets being arranged on reverse sides'of being reversely arranged on opposite sides of the opposing jaws at adistance from the inthe jaws and adapted to engage the outer I 5 ner adjacent edges of the latter and adapted edges of the latter when the jaws are closed.

5 to engage the said inner edges of the jaws In testimony that I claim the foregoing as when the jaws are closed. I my own I have hereto affixed my signature in 2. A pair of clothes-tongs comprising levers the presence of two witnesses. or bars pivotally connected and continued bew yond the pivotal point thereof in the form of LORING WILLIS MYERS IO jaws having a side movement over each other Witnesses:

and each provided with an offset with an in- I p L. H. NEWCOMB, ner straight face and with a concave recess E. A. MURPHY. 

